William schmitges



(NoModel.)

W. SCHMITGBS.

BASE BALL GAME.

No. 439,899. Patented Nov. 4, 1899.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM SOHMITGES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN GEORGE HAIST, OF SAME PLACE.

BAS E-BALL GAM E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,899, dated November 4, 1890.

i Application tiled July 16,1890. Serial No. 358,951. (No model-l To a/Z whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ScIIMITeEs, of the city, county, and State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved game of base-ball that is to be played indoors in Io imitation of the outdoor base-ball game, the

game-board being constructed in such a Inanner that the interest in the game is kept up all along, as it follows the outdoor game in a close and entertaining manner; and the in- I 5 vention consists of a base-ball game, composed of a flanged game-board, forming a iield, which board is provided with a number of panels and depressions, and with a dia- Inond, in the center of which a boX for a ball zo is located, said ball being struck by anoscillating pitching-arm that is operated by a spring-actuated rod from the end of the gameboard by a rod, while a second rod, operated from the side of the board, actuates a pivoted batting-arm that strikes the ball propelled by the pitching-arm. A bar that is hinged to the opposite end of the board back of the batting-arm serves as a catching device in case the ball is not hit by the batting-arm.

3o The game-board is provided, in addition to the foregoing devices, with a4 number of accessories, such as pins representing the team, counting devices, and the like, as will be fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top view of my improved baseball game. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line 1 l, Fig. l; and

4o Fig. 3 is also a vertical section, drawn on a larger scale and showing the pitching-arm moved forward to strike the ball.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Ain the drawings represents a game-board,

which represents the ield of an indoor or imitation base-ball game.

The game-board A is provided with a raised ledge a, extending around the same, and with 5o a number of larger and smaller depressions a. a2, between which panels, marked, respectively, 1, 2, and 3, are formed. At one end of the game-board A are arranged circles, which are Inarked home-run. The spaces l, 2, and 3 and the circle marked home-run in- 55 dicate what base-hit is made.

A diamond-shaped base E is arranged near one end of the gaine-board A, and provided at the corners with holes for the basemen. In the center of the diamond-shaped base E 6o is arranged a depression or box b forthe ball. A slotb in line with said depression or box permits an oscillatingarin O to rise above the game-board so as to strike the ball and send the same forward. 65

The oscillating pitching-arm C is operated by rod C', having a knob C2 at Ithe outer end, which knob is located at that end of the board Where the home-runs are arranged. The rod C is guided in keepers d d at the under side 7o of the board A and connected by cord d', which passes over a pulley d2 to the oscillating and spring-actuated pitching-arm O, as shown in Fig. 2. When the knob O2 is pulled, the oscillating arm is raised above the board through the slot b', so as to strike the ball and send it into the path of a second horizontal arm D that represents the batter, which arm is pivoted to the board A and operated by a rod D', having a knob D2 located 8o at the side of the board A, said rod being connected by a pivot-link e with a springactuated crank-arm c at the under side of the pivot of the batting-arm E, so that in pulling the knob D2 the batting-arm swings 85 horizontally over the base and strikes the ball thrown into its path by the pitching-arm C. Back of the batting-arm D, at the opposite end of the board A, is arranged a bar F, that is hinged at both ends to the ledge a, 9o and that is supported by a spring-arm f in horizontal position, said bar serving to catch the ball when it is not hit by the arm D in the same manner as the catcher on the field. At the corners of the diamond-shaped bars E are arranged socket-holesgfor inserting pins that represent the basemen.

Along the upper corners of the board are arranged raised pieces G, which are provided with holes into which the pins that are used Ioo for the teams, dac., are inserted, and in which the counting devices G and other accessories are arranged.

Operation: The game is preferably played by three persons, of which one acts as the pitcher, the second as the batter, and the third as the umpire, by means of which each side can play nine innings in succession. However, the game can be played with any number of players, from two up to two complete teams. The pitcher takes his position at the bottom end of the iield, While the batsman takes hold of the knob at the right hand side of the field, and the umpire at the top of the same. The batsman places a pin representing the first man of the team in the hole in the center of the small circle x, near the batter, while the pitcher places the ball on the slot in the pitchers box. He then pulls the knob at the end of the field, so as to send the ball toward the home-plate. Should the ball pass directly over the plate, it is then a fair ball, and the batsman must strike at it by pulling the knob, so as to oscillate the batting-arm or have a strike called. Should the ball pass on either side of the plate, it is an unfair ball. Either of these plays will be registered on the dials at the left of the field. Should the batsman hit the ball, the hit Will be counted in the same manner as on the field in the actual` game. When the batsman makes a hit, each base-runner is entitled to as many bases as the hit counted. Should there be a man on the first, second, and third bases and the ball stop in any of the circles, he would be forced out. Should the baserunner be hit by a batted ball, he is then out. When three persons are playing, each side can play nine innings in succession by taking the base-runners left on the bases when the third man is out in each inning from the base. In this manner the outdoor game can be imitated closely and in a very interesting manner on the game-board, and thereby a very entertaining indoor game of base-ball be played, in which all the different phases of the game on the iield can be followed and imitated, so that the full interest of the players and lockers-on is kept up.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. Abaseball game formed of agame-board having depressions and intermediate spaces, a diamond-shaped base. a box for the ball 1n the center of the base, an oscillating arm operated by suitable mechanism so as to strike the ball, a horizontally-oscillating bar and mechanism for operating the same, so as to act as a pitching-arm, and a hinged horizontal bar acting as a catching device for the ball, substantially as set forth.

2. Abase-ball game formed of a game-board having a ledge extending around the same, a diamon d-shaped base arranged on said board, a number of depressions arranged in the board, a depression or box for the ball in the center of the base, an oscillating pitchingarm, means for operating said oscillating arm, a horizontally-swinging arm imitating the batter, means for oscillating said arms, holes at the corners of the base for inserting pins representing the base-runners, and a hinged horizontal bar acting as a catching device for theball at the end of the field back of the batting-arm, substantially as set forth.

3, In a base-ball game, the combination, with a game-board having a ledge extending around the same, of a hinged bar attached to said ledge and a spring-arm for supporting said bar in a horizontal position, so that it will act as a catching device for the ball, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SCI-IMITGES.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, MARTIN PETRY. 

